Clamping device



June 19, 1928. 1,674,212

' J.F.LOUCKS- CLAMPING DEVICE Filed Feb. 13, 1925 Patented June 19, 1928.

UNIT-ED stares rarest ()FFICE.

JAMES F. LoUoKs, or oLEvELANnonIo, Assrenon TO notoninine, F CLEVELAND,

OHIO, A eonronnrron or 01110. e

' YGLAMPING nnvren.

Application filed February This invention relates to clamping devices and, while capable of use in other relations, is peculiarly adapted for the purpose of securing to special joists structuralsheetmetal units of the general type shown in application No. 686,493 filed jointly by myself and Harry Gillett on January it 1924. The general object of the invention is to provide a simple, economical, and efficient means for securing orclamping such sheet met-alconstructions to joists and particularly to oists of the type that are known to the trade as bar joists, each such joist comprising a pair of bars suitably secured together to form a unitary structure. Further and more limited objects of the invention will appear hereinafter and will be accomplished and realized in and through the construction and arrangement of parts shown in the drawings,

wherein Fig. 1 represents a sectional view through a sheet metal structure, showing the same secured to a joist of the type referred to by means of clamps constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 a plan View of the joist and of one of the clamps shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 a detail in section corresponding to the line 3 3 of Fig. 1; and Fig. i a detail in perspective of one of the clamps.

Describing the various parts by reference characters, 1, 1 denote a pair of round bars constituting a joist known to the trade as a bar joist. As shown herein, the bars 1 are arranged side-by-side, and cooperating with such bars is a metal sheet 3 having hollow ribs projecting downwardly therefrom, one of such ribs being shown at 4 and each of the ribs being triangular in section, with the tops of the ribs substantially closed, whereby the upper surface of the sheet 8 will be substantially continuous or unlnterrupted while the bottom of the sheet will be provided with triangular ribs adapted to rest upon the tops of the bar joists. The details of construction of the structural unit and the purposes and advantages thereof are fully set forth in our aforesaid application, the clamping means shown herein being particularly designed for securing sheets or units of this general character to bar joists, on which they are additionally supported by means of the hollow ribs referred to.

Each of the clamping devices is made of sheet metal and comprises generally a channel-shaped member adapted to be slipped 13, 1925. Serial No. 8,894.

over the bars constituting the joist, with the web or base portion of the channel resting on the tops of the barsof the joist, one lateral edge of the base being provided with an integral post projecting upwardly there from and having a tongue adapted to be projected through a metal sheet and secured thereto, there being shoulders interposed between the tongue and the body of the post. 5' denotes the web or base portion of the channeled clamping member and 6 the sides or flanges thereof, the base having the shape in elevation of a flattened U, the distances between the inner faces of the flanges 6 being such as to'enable the base member to be slipped downwardly upon the bars 1 with the sides of the flanges 6 engaging the outer sides of the bars. The sides or flanges G are substantially, at right angles to the main body of the base, being united thereto by curved portions 6 which conform to the curvature of the upper outer surfaces of the rods 1 which constitute the joist.

Projecting from one of the lateral edges of the web portion 5 isa post 7, the post being shown as having inwardly inclined sides 7, there being horizontal shoulders 8 provided at the tops of the sides and a central tongue 9' projecting upwardly fromthe central portion of the post, the tongue being pointed, as shown at 9, to facilitate its apv plication to a metal sheet. I

With the parts constructed and arranged as described, each clamping device will be slipped over the bars constituting the bar joist, after whiehthe ends of the flanges 6 will be driven or otherwise bent into engagement with the lower and outer sides of the bars, as shown at 6 in Fig. 3. The sheets 3 will then be applied to the bar joists and to the clamps and, with a proper punch, will be driven downwardly-upon the tongues 9, which will puncture the sheets, after which the tongues will be bent down to lock the sheets against the shoulders 8, as shownin the drawing. preferred'to makethe height of the posts 7 from the web 5 to the shoulders 8 slightly lessthan'the depth of the ribs 4, making it necessary to spring the sheets downwardly in securing them upon the clamping devices and thus giving a firm hold of the sheets upon the joists.

For convenience of description, the sheets 3 are assumed to be applied tothe tops of In practice, it is the joists, ing on top of the joists and interposed between the same and the lower surfaces, of the said sheets and the terms upper and lower have been employedin the descrip tion and claims, to set forth the relative positions of the parts, but without any intention thereby to limit my invention to a construction wherein the positions of the beamshand of the sheets may not be other than those specifically shown and described a shoulder adapted to be engaged by the sheet when the tongue is so projected therethrough.

2. A clamping device for securing a metal sheet in spaced relation to a joist com p1'i;--:ing a sheet metal spacing and clamping member having a base adapted to rest upon said joist and sides adapted to receive the sides of the joist and to be bent into engagement with the lower outer surfaces thereof, and

an integral post projecting upwardly from one of the lateral edges of the portion of the base which'rests upon the joist, the said post having a tongue projecting upwardly from the central portion thereof with a shoulder at the base of said tongue, whereby the tongue may be projected through the with the clamping members restsheet and bent downwardly into, engagement with the upper surface thereof and the lower surface of the sheet seated upon the said shoulder. r i a V 1.

3. A clamping device for securing a metal sheet in spaced relation to a joist having convex sides, the said device comprising a sheet-metal member adapted to be slipped over the said joist with its sides engaging the sides of the joist, the lower ends of the sides being adapted to be bent-into engage: ment with the lower outer surfaces of the joist, there being a'post formed with and projecting upwardly from one of the lateral edges of the base, the said post having a tongue adapted to be projected through such metal sheet and a'seat at the base of said tongue for the lower surface of the sheet.

4. A clamping device for securing a metal sheet in spaced relation to a joist having convex sides, the said device comprising a U-shaped sheet-metal member adapted to be slipped over the said joist with its base and the upper ends of the sides engaging the top and upper surfaces of the joist sides, the lower ends of the sides of said device being adapted to be bent into engagement with the lower outer surfaces of the joist sides, there being a post formed with and projecting upwardly from one of the lateral edges of the said base, the said post having at its upper end a tongue with a shoulder at the base thereof, whereby the tongue may be project- I ed through such sheet and bent into engagement with the upper surface thereof, forcing the lower surface of'the sheet into engagement with said shoulder.

In testimony whereof,I hereunto affix my signature.

JAMES F. LoUoKs. I 

